Occupational health and safety news and guidance

A Leigh cardboard box manufacturer has appeared in court after one of
its employees almost lost his right arm when it became trapped in a
machine.

The 26-year-old from Leigh was trying
to retrieve a piece of card to clear a blockage when his arm was
dragged under a roller, causing severe crush injuries.

His employer, Leighton Packaging Ltd, was prosecuted by the Health
and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at the factory, at
Leigh Commerce Park on Greenfold Way, on 7 October last year.

On 12 October, Trafford Magistrates' Court was told that doctors
feared the employee could have lost his arm due to the extent of his
injuries. He still has difficulty using his arm, and the injury is
likely to affect him for the rest of his life.

The HSE investigation found the guards on the machine were inadequate
and that employees regularly removed blockages without power first being
cut.

The company failed to have a suitable system of work in place for the
removal of blockages, and there was little supervision of how workers
dealt with jams.

Leighton Packaging admitted breaching the Management of Health and
Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998. It was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £2,717 in
prosecution costs.